US3370834A

US3370834A - Electric fence post

Info

Publication number: US3370834A
Application number: US531926A
Authority: US
Inventors: Reznicek Frank
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1966-03-04
Filing date: 1966-03-04
Publication date: 1968-02-27
Anticipated expiration: 1985-02-27

Description

Feb. 27, 1968 F. REZNICEK 3,370,834

ELECTRIC FENCE POST 7 Filed March 4, 1966 Frank Reznicek INVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,370,834 ELECTRIC FENCE POST Frank Reznicek, 1412 7th St., Columbus, Nebr. 68601 Filed Mar. 4, 1966, Ser. No. 531,926 2 Claims. (Cl. 256-) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A fence post having upper and lower post sections coaxially interlocked by a rigid insulating member which completely insulates the upper section from the lower section. The insulating member forms a narrow drip edge in outwardly spaced surrounding relation to the lower post section whereby there will be no tendency for rainwater or the like to run in under the insulating member to the lower post section and thereby effect an electric leakage.

The instant invention is generally related to electric fencing, and is more particularly concerned with an insulated fence post for use in conjunction with such fencing.

It is a primary object of the instant invention to provide an insulated or insulating fence post which, while of a basically simple construction, provides for an efficient and dependable insulating of the charged wire.

Another significant object of the instant invention resides in the utilization of an insulator incorporated directly into the post itself in a manner whereby the entire upper portion of the post is to be insulated from the lower ground engaging portion of the post, thereby enabling an engagement of a charged wire with the post along a major portion of the height thereof utilizing conventional wire engaging clips or the like.

In addition, it is a significant object of the instant invention to provide an insulator which is specifically defined so as to prevent electrical leakage or shorting under extreme weather conditions such as rainy weather or icy conditions.

Likewise, it is an object of the instant invention to provide an insulator which can be accommodated to any conventional type of fence post.

These objects are achieved through the utilization of an elongated cylindrical rigid insulating member having upper and lower generally coaxial bores within which the adjacent ends of upper and lower post sections are locked. The lower bore has, at the lower end thereof, a conical countersunk portion which defines a narrow drip edge in outwardly spaced surrounding relation to the lower post section whereby any rainwater or the like will drip freely from the insulator and not run inwardly toward the lower post section in a manner which would tend to cause an electric leakage.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a section of electrical fencing wherein the insulated posts of the instant invention are utilized;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view taken substantially on the plane passing along line 2-2 in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged perspective view, partially in section, of the insulator per se; and

FIGURE 4 is a front elevational view of the insulated fence post.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, reference numeral 10 is used to generally designate a fence post insulated in accordance with the instant invention and utilized for the support of charged electric fencing wire 12.

The post 10, which while illustrated as being in the nature of a vertically elongated solid rod, can be of any suitable cross-sectional shape such as the conventional T-post. The post 10 is divided into upper and

lower post sections

14 and 16. The upper section 14 is completely insulated, by the insulator 18, from the lower section 16 and is capable of supporting the charged wire or wires 12 at any point along the length thereof with the insulator 18 isolating or insulating the charge from the lower post section 16 and the supporting ground. The wires 12 can be of course supported on the upper post section 14 in any suitable manner, such as by means of the spring loaded clips, best seen in FIGURE 2. j

The insulator 18, which is to be preferably molded directly about the adjacent lower end portion 20 of the upper post section 14 and upper end portion 22 of the lower post section 16, is in the nature of an elongated solid cylindrical member, approximately six inches long. Regardless of whether the insulator 18 is actually molded about the adjacent

post end portions

20 and 22, or is preformed, the

end portions

20 and 22 are in eifect received in a pair of opposed longitudinally aligned centrally located

blind bores

24 and 26. The upper bore 24 extends downwardly from the fiat upper end 28 of the insulator 18 while the lower bore 26 extends upwardly from the lower end of the insulator 18. The lower end of the insulator 18 includes an upwardly extending conical countersunk portion 30 defining an enlarged mouth for the downwardly directed lower blind bore 26. In this manner, a depending shield is formed about the upper portion of the post section 16 in outwardly spaced relation thereto immediately below the extreme upper end portion of the section 16 which is rigidly afilxed within the main or gripping portion of the bore 26. The countersunk portion 30 tapers downwardly and outwardly to the peripheral wall of the insulator 18 at the lower end thereof so as to define a narrow drip edge 32. The outer surface of the insulator 18 is itself preferably perfectly smooth and continuous completely thereabout.

The narrow drip edge 32, in conjunction with the out wardly spaced shielded portion defined by the countersunk end 30 of bore 26, enable the retention of the upper portion of the lower post section 16 in a completely dry state, even in extremely heavy rain and icing conditions, thereby effectively preventing electric leakage and a possible shorting of the fence. In subjecting the insulator of the instant invention to rain, the water will merely run down the smooth exterior of the insulator 18 and drip from the lower annular drip edge 32, and will not travel inwardly and up the sharply inclined countersunk portion 30, thus insuring the retention of the dry state of the upper end of the lower post section 16.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that a highly unique while structurally simple fence post has been set forth, the insulator, of any suitable insulating material, preferably being molded directly about the adjacent longitudinally spaced ends of the two post sections so as to form in effect a continuous integral unit with the upper post section incorporating wire mounting means, and with the lower post section incorporating suitable ground engaging anchor means such as indicated by reference numeral 34. In addition to its positive insulating qualities, the insulator itself is to be of a compact shape, preferably in the nature of an elongated solid cylinder, so as to neither add to the bulk of the post nor detract from the appearance thereof. Likewise, it should be appreciated that the smooth cylindrical exterior of the insulator not only insures an efiicient discharge of rain water therefrom in a manner so as to prevent any possibility of shorting, but also eliminate any projections or the like such as might be easily broken through contact therewith.

. The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A fence post for utilization in conjunction with electric fencing, said post comprising vertically aligned upper and lower post sections and an intermediate insulator positioned between said sections and rigidly interlocking the adjacent lower end portion of the upper section and upper end portion of the lower section, said insulator including a lower portion surrounding the upper end portion of the lower section in outwardly spaced relation thereto completely thereabout and below the extreme upper end thereof said insulator being vertically elongated, including a peripheral full length wall, and defining longitudinally projecting non-communicating bores extending into said insulator from the upper and lower ends thereof, said bores respectively receiving and retaining the lower end portion of the upper post and the upper end portion of the lower post, the lower end of the lower bore being conically flared outwardly and downwardly completely about the lower bore to the peripheral Wall and forming a narrow drip edge in outwardly spaced surrounding relation to the bore received upper end portion of the lower post, said insulator being cylindrical in shape and having a smooth outer surface, said bores being axially aligned and coaxial with the cylindrical insulator.

2. The fence post of claim 1 wherein said insulator is molded about the adjacent end portions and completely encloses said end portions.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,250,517 5/1966 Bramley 25610 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,123,847 6/ 1956 France.

815,755 7/1959 Great Britain. 286,796 '3/ 1953 Switzerland.

DAVID J. WILLIAMOWSKY, Primary Examiner.

DENNIS L. TAYLOR, Examiner.